Anaheim, CA (Sports Network) - Anze Kopitar scored the game winner with 3:01 to play as the Los Angeles Kings took a 5-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks to complete a home-and-home sweep. Mike Richards scored twice for the Kings, who took a 2-1 shootout win at home against Anaheim on Wednesday and have now won four of their last five. Jonathan Quick made 35 saves in the win.
"We're moving the puck more than we have," said Kopitar. "It's been a real good team effort these past two games and we're seeing the results now." Andrew Cogliano had two goals and Corey Perry scored the other for the Ducks, who have lost three straight and nine of 10. Dan Ellis allowed four goals on 35 shots in a losing effort.
"It's always tough playing from behind," said Ducks head coach Randy Carlyle. "We gave up a power play and two shorthanded goals. They were better on their special teams than we were." The Ducks had rallied from a two-goal deficit in the third period to tie the game, but Kopitar's ninth goal of the year gave the Kings a 4-3 lead.
On the winning goal, Kopitar made a move to get clear in the slot and sent a backhander towards the net that went wide to the right. Kopitar then grabbed the puck behind the goal and from the left side used a wraparound with his second whack at the puck making its way in.
Jack Johnson was called for hooking with 2:30 to play and Anaheim pulled Ellis for a 6-on-4 advantage, but Richards sealed the win with 1:38 to play with an empty-netter.
The first period went scoreless, but Richards got the Kings on the board 54 seconds into the middle session when he flew into the Anaheim end and flung a backhander on net from inside the right circle that fooled Ellis.
Anaheim tied it just over two minutes later, when a Teemu Selanne turnaround shot at the right side was tipped by Saku Koivu to the left side and Cogliano finished the play with his third of the year.
Skating shorthanded, the Kings made it a 2-1 game at the 7:28 mark when Simon Gagne skated down the right wing on a breakaway and cut over to the left side before wristing it into the net.
After the start of the third period was delayed due to a problem with the lights, the Kings made it a 3-1 game 2:45 into the frame with a power-play goal from Slava Voynov.
Anaheim got one back at the 8:24 mark of the third as the puck went off of Perry's chest and into the net.
Just over five minutes later, the Ducks tied the game as Luca Sbisa blasted a shot on net from the left point that was tipped in by Cogliano.
Game Notes
The Kings host the Red Wings on Saturday while the Ducks host the Red Wings on Sunday...Both teams went 1-for-4 on the power play...Selanne had two assists in the game.
For more on the Kings and Ducks, check out Jewels From the Crown and Anaheim Calling.